Hood catch



R. G. MOORE Sept. 25, 1934.

HOOD CATCH Filed March 20, 1933 ZSnnenfor HHYMUND 5. Moms (Itforneg Patented Sept. 25, 1934 HOOD CATCH Raymond G. Moore, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to The Bassick Company, Bridgeport, Com, a corporation of Connecticut Application March 20, 1933, Serial No. 661,656

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to hood catches for'securing the hoods of automobiles and has for an object to provide a hood catch of simple construction and attractive appearance which may be operated with facility, and will effectually hold the hood downwardly and inwardly against looseness and rattling. Another object is to provide a hood catch in which the handle and latching means will be exteriorly disposed while the tensioning mechanism is interiorly disposed, thus providing a catch which maybe easily and positively operated, and which at the same time will present a neat and inconspicuous appearance, free from unsightly mechanism, and which lends itself to streamline design, harmonizing with other parts of the automobile'structure.

Another object is to provide a catchwhich may be horizontally disposed, out of relation with'the sill, so that itcan be conveniently reached and will in no way interfere with other parts of the automobile. It is also proposed to provide a catch which cannot fail to be properly engaged,

theengaging catch and keeperparts being at all times exposed, and in no danger of being fowled or obscured by other parts of the automobile structure.

A still further object is to provide a catch in which spring means is provided insuch relation as to exert both an inward and downward pressure on the hood.

With the above and other objects in view, an

Fig.2 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1 and showing the catch in plan.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the catch, and showing in dot-and-dash lines the upward and downward limits of movement ofthe handle and catch element.

, Fig. 5 is' a vertical sectional view taken, along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, and showing the catch in end elevation.

Similar'reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing the hood 10 is adapted to close in the usual manner against the lacings 11, provided along the inset marginal edge portions 12 of the radiator frame and cowl structures 13 (only one being shown), and at each end of the hood, and adapted to cooperate with keepers provided on the radiator frame and cowl structures, hood catches according to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention are mounted.

The hood catch comprises a mounting plate 14, adapted to be riveted, spot-welded, or otherwise suitably secured to the inner side of the hood, preferably adjacent one of the lower corners, although if desired it may be at a substantially higher point than that illustrated.

A hearing opening 15 is provided in the plate and has an outwardly turned bearing flange which engages in an opening 16 in the hood, the edge of r the flange projecting slightly beyond the outer surface of the hood.

,Upon the plate 14 an arched bridge-like plate 17 having flattened ends l8--l8 is secured as by spot-welding the ends 18-18 tothe plate 14, and is provided with an opening 19 in axial alignment 6 with the bearing opening 15, this opening being of greater, diameter than the handle shaft engaged therein,- and presently to be more fully de- I from the end of the hood, is of arcuate form and has an arcuate flange ZO bent upwardly therefrom, this flange being concentric to-the axis of the bearing openings '15 and 19. At the upper end of the flange a projecting stoplug 21 is provided having an inclined abutment face 22 for cooperation with the springpresently to be more fully described. 3 A notch 23 is provided, adjacent the lower end of the flange 20 into which the spring engages in the inoperative position of the catch.

The handle 24 is provided at its inner end with a flange 25 and a shaft extensionzd the latter having bearing in the bearing opening '15 with sufficient looseness to permit of a slight tilt, permitted by the diameter of the opening 19 being larger than the shaft so that the latter is spaced from thewall of said opening. The shaft is provided'at its inwardly projecting end portion with I flats 27-27 at each side for? the non-rotatable mounting thereon of a bar28, having a corre spondingly shaped opening therein, the bar being secured against the end shoulders of the fiat surfaces by a washer 29, non-rotatably mounted on the shaft end, and a cotter pin 30 inserted through the shaft end.

One end of the bar is bent downwardly and out- Wardly to provide a foot portion 31, normally spaced from the plate, as shown in Fig. 4, to permit limited tilting ,movement of the bar. The other end 32 is bent into a plane inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of thebai'.v downwardly toward the surface of the plate and also inclined transversely downwardly toward the upper edge. Upon this inclined portion 32 amoil spring 33 is secured at its inner end by means of a clip 34 and. its outer end ridesiuponthmedgebf, the flange 20 and is adaptedinvtheIoperativepdsir: tion of the catch to be tensioned through abutment with the inclined surfaeeflg of the stgp lug 21, the inclinations of the'spring end and the surface 21 being substantially the same.- Stop lugs 35 and 36 are struck from the plate 14; and are adapted to limit-themovement'of the bar 28 in its inoperative and depressed keeper engaging po's it ionas indicated in 'dot-and dash lines in Fig. 4.

'In the operative position the force of the spring is applied to the handle to press its outer end upwardly andal'so to'tilt it away from the hood, this act-ion resulting in a downward and inward pressure being applied to the hood, and aswill- 'pres ently more fully appear.

'The handle 24 is bent inwardlyat its outer end toward the hood and is provided witha longitudinallybent keeper engaging nose or catch portion 37 projecting beyond the end of the hood in "the operative position.

The keeper comprises a base plate 38-and a. rightangularlybent hook flange 39, having a catch engaging recess 40, the outer wall-of which .is vertically disposed. The plate 38-is preferably secured at theinner side of the cowl or radiator frame 13, as by rivets 41,-and the .flange 39 proje'cts through-a slotopening 42 in the cowl or frame.

45. 'In operation, the hood is drawndownwardly "by downward pressure on the handles 24-.-24 at each endof the hood, the abutment of the foot; portion 31 of the bar 28 against the stoplug 36 causing the downwardpressure of the handles to be'firmly transmitted to the hood, so that it can 'be effectuallypulled down to .its fulllimit with facility. As shown'in dot-and-da sh lines in Fig. 4, thehandleis swung below the horizontal oper ative position, the hood being swung outwardly-v ,.as ibis pressed down to clear the keeper..- When fullypulled down it ispressed inwardly against the"lacin'"gs, and upon release of the handle the spring 33which has been tensioned through abut merit of its end with'the inclined surface- 22- igs pre'sse's it upwardlyengaging the catch end 3'7" withQth keeper recess 40,-thus retaining the-hood closed and exerting a downward pressure thereon. At the same time the angular pressure of -the spring on the bar 28 tends totilt it away fromthe ..p1ate-14 at its spring carrying end and toward-the "plateatits foot end 31,-thus forcing the catch end 3'7 tightly against the outer face of thekeeper and exerting lan inward pressure on the hood pressing it firmly against the lag l gs. Todisenej jgi atei e h ndl is e sedd wnwa filn el b d swung-o ward y. an h handle h n.

satisfactory embodiment of the invention, but it will be obvious that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Automobile hood fastening means for engaging. a;.keeper. disposed upon a fixed part in relation to the end of the hood, comprising catch means adapted to be mounted upon the hood comprising an exterior finger gripping portion and a keeper engaging portion, said catch means adapted;to ,-,swing about a tiltable axis, spring means associated with said catch means adapted to both swingand}tilt said;catch means, and said catch means'l adapted through said swinging and tilting to engage said keeper to exert downward and inalzd pressn eonitheihoo 2. Automobile hood fastening means for engaging a keeper disposed upon a fixed part in relation Q... Q.. %1..f. h 9% ompri i m u i fixture adaptedto besecured .to the hood, catch meaneparnsqiby aiam uni ns re mm ateries n er rinn n o t an a,

e na eina et -pat a and. spring me associated, with said catch means disposed. at, an

inclined angle to sa id mounting fixture adapted,

tilting .to engage.said keeper to exert downward and inwardpressure on the hoodl,

3. Automobile hood fastening means forengag-e ing akeeper disposeduponafixedpart in relationlto the end of the ,hood, comprising amount na. tur adapted t ,b secure to e. l d.

catch means carried by. said ,mounting fixture q nnnsinae fing r rinning} rtion... akeep ngag pqrt qn. atone. nd a m un na shaft at the other nd. hav nar ta eb eand t n ea in in s i mo ntine fixtu e. andsn insa abut:

merit, means cooperating between said catcn,

an an d .inoun ine x ure dis osedat. an.

inclined angle ,to said mounting fixture adapted to bothswing, and tilt saidcatchmeans, and said catch means adaptedthrgughsaid swinging and tilting to engage said keeper to exert downward, nd in a d re s re on theh odi tnmabile,hooc fasteni g.niea sfor sag-.,

i e a keengrfiismscd pon a fix d .na t. in lation to the end of the hood, comprising ,a mount: g. fi t r adap ed ot ec re to t e hood,

tch. m an arr ed., .,s i,c mo n x ure.

mpri ing ,a fing r gr nni portio a ke per. n a ing. o tion. t. o ,e,.end,.. anda mounti shaft at the other, end, haying rotatab1e.and, tilt,-

ing bearing in said mounting fixture, spring means,

5. Automobi,lc .hood. fastening means for ..en- 1'40,

eas a k r .d spnsednn n'a f d p t 3 .11 3 tion to the end of the hood, comprising a mounts. ing, fixture ada ed t ..be,., .red t e ood. atch means arr e .bysa dt mount n fix ure.

qmp i naa fi er. rinnin p rtion; a keeper.

engaging portion at one end, and a ,mounting, ft game P l ar. n earing. r t tabl and t s ea ting,- d.. gu t nei x ur S r n means carried by said catch means disposed at an i lined angle .to. sa d mqunti efixture. and. abutment means carried by said mounting fixture adapted upon swinging of said catch means to tension said spring means and through the inclination of said spring means to exert a tilting pressure on said catch means, said catch means adapted through said swinging and tilting to enage said keeper to exert downward and inward pressure on the hood.

6. Automobile hood fastening means for engaging a keeper disposed upon a fixed part in relation to the end of the hood, comprising a mounting fixture adapted to be secured to the hood, catch means carried by said mounting fixture comprising a finger gripping portion, a keeper engaging portion at one end, and a mounting shaft at the other end having rotatable and tilting bearing in said mounting fixture, a lever bar carried by said shaft, spring means carried by said lever bar disposed at an inclined angle to the plane of said lever bar disposed at an inclined angle to the plane of rotation of said shaft, and abutment means carried by said mounting fixture adapted upon swinging of said catch means to tension said spring means and through the inclination of said spring means to exert a tilting pressure on said catch means, said catch means adapted through said swinging and tilting to engage said keeper to exert downward and inward pressure on the hood.

7. Automobile hood fastening means for engaging a keeper disposed upon a fixed part in relation to the end of the hood, comprising a mounting fixture adapted to be secured to the hood, catch means carried by said mounting fixture comprising a finger gripping portion, a keeper engaging portion at one end, and a mounting shaft at the other end having rotatable and tilting bearing in said mounting fixture, spring means carried by said catch means disposed at an inclined angle to the plane of rotation of said shaft, an arcuate bearing surface carried by said mounting fixture disposed concentric to the axis of said shaft and upon which said spring means slides as said catch means is swung, abutment means at one end of said bearing surface adapted upon swinging of said catch means to abut and tension said spring means and through the inclination of said spring means to exert a tilting pressure on said catch means, said catch means adapted through said swinging and tilting to exert downward and inward pressure on the hood. and recessed means at the other end of said bearing surface adapted to be engaged by said spring means to releasably retain said catch means in inoperative position.

8. Automobile hood fastening means for engaging a keeper disposed upon a fixed part in relation to the end of the hood, comprising catch means mounted exteriorly of the hood comprising a finger gripping portion and a keeper engaging portion, said catch means adapted to swing about a tiltable axis, spring means associated with said catch means adapted to both swing and tilt said catch means, and adapted through said swinging and tilting to engage said keeper to exert downward and inward pressure on the hood, and stop means fixed with relation to the hood adapted to limit the depressing of the catch means and whereby downward pressure on said catch means is positively transmitted to the hood.

RAYMOND G. MOORE. 

